[marcinski]

When the new Digital Camera Utility 4 will be available for download?

Thanks,

Marcin

[MMVIII]

Hi John, nice way of bringing some valid information on the future camera, thank you.

4) No, auto bracketing and MLU are accessed through the same menu. It looks like it is one or the other.

Regarding this issue: there are different things in this menu and some - me included - would like to combine them with MLU. I think in a german forum I read that all this things, like 2s-timer, bracketing etc., do work in live-view mode, where the mirror is naturally up (=MLU, I guess the mirror does not go down before exposure?), so there wouldn't be a problem at all in combiningt these settings. Is this correct or did I miss something?
Best regards, dan

[Mike.P®]

Not sure if you even know and if you do then you may not be able/want to answer but anyway ..

Is the K-7 now the high end model and if so is there a trimmed down version coming this year to replace the K200D/K20D.

Asking because, A) I'm quite interested and B) to get rid of half the useless threads (hopefully) on this forum.

Thanks.

[GoldenWreckedAngle]

John,

Thank you for taking the time and congrats on the new baby! I hate missing my 10 month old's bedtime. Sweetest half hour of the day.

I skimmed both of the DPReview threads and didn't see a couple of my prime concerns addressed:

1) I would like to be able to shoot with a flash above 1/180 (ala "cheat the sync speed"). According to Imaging Resources the K-7 hot shoe is still dead above 1/180. Is there any chance that restriction can be unlocked somehow?

2) I would like to be able to leave my neutral density filers at home and shoot ISO 50 or ISO 25 instead. Any chance we will see the ISO range extended in that direction?

[JCPentax]

Is the plan to have faster contrast detect AF by using SDM lenses with new chips?

If so, can existing SDM lenses be easily upgraded to take advantage of the new faster contrast detect AF?

I think Roland Mabo alluded to something about this.

Thanks for the great support.

Not sure what this question is getting at? The contrast detect AF is strictly for use during live view, and it is not secret on our part that it is slower than the phase detection AF (the normal AF). In fact, you can turn on the phase detection AF during live view (but the mirror will come down during AF) if you require more accurate AF.

The speed of the contrast detect AF is based solely on the processing power of the camera. I am not sure SDM has anything to do with it.

[JCPentax]

John,

Is there any chance that we will get possibility to remap RAW button to some other function.

I never use RAW button on my K20D. I often use bracketing button on K20D. The fact that bracketing button is gone from K-7 is vary sad for me.

Also little poll made in this forum shows that much more Pentaxians are using bracketing button than RAW button:
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-dslr-discussion/60149-raw-bracketi...k10d-k20d.html

Please puch Pentax Japan to allow assignment to RAW button some other function, for example bracketing button

No, the RAW button is fully dedicated to this function and can't be changed.

[JCPentax]

Hi John,

Here's my questions.

1. Is there a limit to how much barrel distortion the K-7 can correct? i.e., could it "de-fish" or correct the DA 10-17 fisheye?

2. Are all types of chromatic aberations fixed?

3. Is vignetting corrected in camera as well?

4. Is the "in-camera" RAW converter the same or has it been improved?

Thanks!

1) It should correct all digital lenses except the DA 10-17. Japan made that clear to us from the start.

2) No, it is specifically Lateral Chromatic Aberations.

3) This isn't addressed.

4) The K-7 has a new image processing chip (the PRIME II). The process is the same, but I don't know on results since we only have pre-production samples.

[JCPentax]

Ah, great to hear. One more question, what's a "reasonable time"? Would it include purchasing the 16-50 before the K-7? :-D I'm all jittery about my new future setup of a K-7 + *16-50mm that I'm dying to buy what I can buy now, now (despite the fact I won't even be able to use it, since I've already sold my K20D :-DDDD Maybe I'll try mounting it on my Super Program :-DDD).

The accesory has to be purchased at the same time or after. Specifically, the coupon states "purchase a qualifying product between 6/1/2009 and 12/31/2010."

[JCPentax]

I haven't seen this asked, so here it goes:

1. How will the aperture control in video work with older, K non-A or M42 lenses? Will the camera stop them down while shooting? Will a M42 lens set to "manual" aperture (some lenses have that option) effectively give real-time aperture control, as it stops down independent to the camera?

2. Will AE work in video? Will we be able to effectively choose a shutter speed and make it "stick"?

Also, slightly off-topic, can a older lens be modded to get rid of the "clicks" in aperture ring operation (just a short answer or a pm, I don't want to derail the thread)?

The reason I ask is that I still have a K 50mm f/1.2 I held on to and would buy the K7 if only to shoot video with it

1) I really don't know, but it may be similar to how my FA* 28-70 worked (answered earlier).

2) If you mean AE-Lock, yes it does work during video, but you can't actually select shutter speeds.

[JCPentax]

for this question, is it possible to add a feature:
1. allow user to change the focal point once we click the AF / shutter button.
2. remap the raw button to function like this?

Probably not.

[JCPentax]

When the new Digital Camera Utility 4 will be available for download?

Thanks,

Marcin

Since it is such a radical improvement, it may only be available with the purchase of the K-7. However, don't take that as confirmed because we haven't heard from Japan.

[JCPentax]

Hi John, nice way of bringing some valid information on the future camera, thank you.


Regarding this issue: there are different things in this menu and some - me included - would like to combine them with MLU. I think in a german forum I read that all this things, like 2s-timer, bracketing etc., do work in live-view mode, where the mirror is naturally up (=MLU, I guess the mirror does not go down before exposure?), so there wouldn't be a problem at all in combiningt these settings. Is this correct or did I miss something?
Best regards, dan

This is correct with the live view mode (I hadn't thought of that solution, so thank you).

[JCPentax]

Not sure if you even know and if you do then you may not be able/want to answer but anyway ..

Is the K-7 now the high end model and if so is there a trimmed down version coming this year to replace the K200D/K20D.

Asking because, A) I'm quite interested and B) to get rid of half the useless threads (hopefully) on this forum.

Thanks.

I can't answer this type of question (or risk losing my wonderful job).

[JCPentax]

John,

Thank you for taking the time and congrats on the new baby! I hate missing my 10 month old's bedtime. Sweetest half hour of the day.

I skimmed both of the DPReview threads and didn't see a couple of my prime concerns addressed:

1) I would like to be able to shoot with a flash above 1/180 (ala "cheat the sync speed"). According to Imaging Resources the K-7 hot shoe is still dead above 1/180. Is there any chance that restriction can be unlocked somehow?

2) I would like to be able to leave my neutral density filers at home and shoot ISO 50 or ISO 25 instead. Any chance we will see the ISO range extended in that direction?

Sorry, but no on both of those.

[rfortson]

This kind of comment always blows me away. Pentax offers an unprecended level of backward lens compatibility, but it is still criticized.

Well, pushing that green button is hard!

Thanks for stopping over here John. It's good to have an official presence from Pentax here.